Can't get enough motivation to hit the gym? Meet Kritarth Chauhan, a callisthenics athlete, who is winning hearts on social media for his fitness!

Kritarth Chauhan, who hails from Delhi, has been involved in callisthenics for the past seven years. Check out his workout routine and what he has to say about the "most underrated exercise"!

There is no doubt that new media technology has brought various hidden talent in front of the world. Herein, we have brought one such story of Kritarth Chauhan, who is popular over Instagram for performing callisthenics and street lifting. He was the fastest runner in Devil’s circuit college frenzy 2019 obstacle course (Asia's toughest obstacle race). In an interview with Local Samosa, Kritarth Chauhan shares his love for fitness and callisthenics! Here's an excerpt of the interview.

When did you develop an interest in Calisthenics and street lifting and how? 

I was into various sports all my childhood. In class 10, I discovered callisthenics through a YouTube video (Adam raw). Seeing him do those unreal moves as a kid was very fascinating and the fact that it didn’t require much equipment to learn, was perfect. A few years went by, I realized how this sport was a very early stage worldwide and almost nonexistent in India. This fueled me even more and filled me with a sense of responsibility to inspire other youngsters into this beautiful sport and way of fitness.

What motivated your passion for health and fitness? 

My dad, who always pushed me into sports from an early stage, led to my passion for fitness. It grew even more with time as I noticed the benefits of being physically trained. It directly contributes to my better mental health, mood, confidence. 

What is your fitness routine? 

I train in 4-6 week training blocks which are usually designed around learning a new callisthenics skill or improving my strength in a specific movement. 

Currently, I am aiming to get better at bodyweight strength skills such as planche and front lever. I am also aiming to improve my freestyle callisthenics (dynamic movements on bars).

So, a typical routine can look like 

1 hour of freestyle in the morning (twice a week)

7-10 sets of planche or front lever 

3-5 sets of pullup or dips

3 sets of isolation exercises (biceps, triceps, shoulder etc.) 

3 sets of rotator cuff exercises

What according to you are the most underrated and overrated exercises? 

Neck extensions and curls (lying on the bench), are rarely ever seen in gyms. 'Neck training' is the answer to weakness and vulnerability in neck muscles that hours of a desk job and looking down on phone has caused in almost everyone in today’s era. 

For overrated exercise, it's hard to say. I believe all exercises have importance in specific scenarios. But if I had to choose one it would be 'crunches' as it requires the spine to curve each rep while performing it. 

What has been the best part of your 7-year journey in Calisthenics/Street lifting? Achievements that you can recount of? 

From winning weighted/ freestyle callisthenics competitions (SWCFI 2018, 2020) to unofficial Indian records made in my little garage gym, all the callisthenics competitions and personal records have been a big part of my life.

The most exhilarating one has to be being the fastest runner on the 'Devil’s circuit college frenzy 2019' obstacle course. It quite resembles the 'Ninja Warrior course' and I have always dreamt of doing that as a kid watching the show.

Do you plan to become a trainer also? If yes, what will be your philosophy? 

Yes, I love to teach and spread the word about callisthenics and in general about fitness too. I might never become a full-time trainer as there are other methods to teach that better fit my skill set and my goals. I would like to teach through youtube tutorials.

Your social media presence is very strong. How do you keep up with your followers? Do you live under pressure to produce content? 

I am not very good at being a social media influencer. I don’t post a lot of content for the sake of being active and mostly use my account for posting something creatively/aesthetically impressive or new in my eyes. Although, it will be one of my goals this year to better connect with my community on social media and be more active. 

What advice you would like to give to the newcomers in street lifting? 

Spend time on strengthening your basics, chase perfection in technique rather than several plates. 

What are your plans?

Represent India in World Street Workout and Calisthenics Federation (WSWCF) championship. Do my part in building the Indian callisthenics community by working on my brand.

Kritarth Chauhan also owns an online store 'Kalics' where callisthenics enthusiasts can get all related items.



Visit his Instagram here

Also Read: Meet Vishesh Khanna, a sportsman whose trick shots of blowing a candle with a ball is loved by everyone!

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